This is the in-class assignment blog for the History of Science Spring 2012 held at the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, FL.

Monday, April 16, 2012

John DeLorean

Being the 20th century blog assignment, and that the stipulations
said an inventor/engineer who "lived between 1900 and 1950," not
necessarily invented their historical items during that period, I couldn't help
but choose the inventor of my favorite cult-classic car from my childhood. I
mean, come on, who didn't love the DeLorean after watching Back to the Future?!

John Z. DeLorean (1925-2005), in addition to founding the eponymous DeLorean
Motor Company, was also a renowned automotive engineer and executive. After
earning a BS in Industrial Engineering, a MS in Automotive Engineering and an
MBA, DeLorean worked as an engineer/designer for Packard Motor Company, where
he helped refine the automatic transmission design, before accepting a Chief
Engineering position at Pontiac. After leading the design team to multiple
patents, for items such as articulated windshield wipers and the overhead cam
six cylinder engine, DeLorean became the Head of the Pontiac Division of
General Motors. Whilst there, he was the mastermind of the muscle car
revolution with such hits as the GTO and LeMans. Shortly thereafter, John was
promoted to lead GM's largest division, Chevrolet, which was struggling at the
time. At this point, DeLorean had risen to near celebrity status and became a
major player in sports teams and Hollywood circles. In 1972 he was named VP of
car and truck production at GM. However, this wouldn't last long, as John's
fame and non-conformity with GM's reserved approach, led him to leave the
company a year later to form his own intrepid car company.

The DeLorean Motor Company, in the almost decade long development of it's own
car, invented and propagated many innovative technologies. These include
composite materials, torsion bars, cryogenic metallurgic treatments, and
computerized/robotic assembly line advances, along with safety strides, such as
the safety dash board. In addition to the technical advances, John DeLorean
also helped redefine the public-private partnership with his ground-breaking
deal with the Northern Irish government to finance and locate the factory to
build the cars in that embattled country. The result was the striking,
gull-wing doored, stainless steel skinned, rear-engined DMC-12 luxury sports
car, which debuted in 1981. The timing however, couldn't have been worse, as
the 1982 economic recession was in the making and impractical sports cars are
not high on the priority list when times get tough. This, in addition to
political instability in the region, eventually led to the demise of DMC in
1983 after 9000 of the historic car were produced. Sadly, DeLorean's name was
forever tarnished by him agreeing to a cocaine smuggling deal in a last ditch
effort to try and save his company. However, no drugs were ever actually trafficked
and DeLorean was acquitted of the charges on the grounds that he was entrapped
by the FBI who set up the sham. Unfortunately, the hit movie Back to the
Future, which reignited interest in the car came two years too late in 1985,
after the company and DeLorean's reputation had collapsed. However, John
DeLorean left a lasting mark on automotive history and his real legacy is that of a
successful inventor/engineer and a fearless entrepreneur.